The 2022 Everest Team

Hello – my name is Abe Dreher, I am 18 years old and when I was 6 years old my younger brother, Gus, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the impact of my brother’s condition. As I grew older and learned more about the disease, the impact that it would have on both my brother’s and our family’s lives revealed itself. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive muscle-wasting disease. Gus has never been able to play sports or run around with his friends the way I have. In 2020 he lost the ability to walk and is now in a wheelchair full time.

I am joining the Everest to End Duchenne team in Nepal this March and hiking Everest Base Camp for my brother and everyone who lives with this awful disease. They cannot climb mountains, but we will do it for them and try to raise as much money as possible for the Hope for Gus Foundation to contribute to the research for a cure and a better quality of life.

My name is Tonya Dreher, founder of the original Everest to End Duchenne and mother to Gus, age 14. Gus lives with Duchenne and is the inspiration behind every single fundraiser done through the Hope for Gus Foundation. We created the foundation after Gus’ diagnosis and have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for medical research for DMD. ETED 2019 is my third time taking a team to trek to Everest Base Camp.

My name is Fletcher Maggs and I am 17 years old. I’m excited to trek up to Mount Everest Base Camp in March to raise money to support DMD. This cause is near and dear to my heart as my best friend, Abe Dreher’s little brother, Gus has DMD. I’m also an avid photographer, filmmaker and hiker. During this trip, I will be documenting my journey and will give my work to the Hope for Gus Foundation. I can’t think of a better way to support Gus and the Dreher family.

My name is Jill Pearson and I grew up in Alexandria with Tonya (Bakewell) Dreher. I have learned about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) through her family’s journey – from Gus’s initial diagnosis to their participation in research trials in recent years – and I’ve watched from afar as they’ve conquered this climb for Gus and boys like him. So when the opportunity arose for me to join the effort this year, I was honored to be part of the team. I love travel and hiking and experiencing other cultures, and doing so while furthering a worthy cause like Hope for Gus is such a privilege. I hope the awareness and funds we bring to DMD through this year’s trip pave the way for more effective treatments and ultimately a cure. Thanks to our many generous supporters for their enthusiasm, well wishes, and financial contributions!